Hochatown Distilling Part 1: Tommy "Blue" McDaniel on the Distillery You Should Know

Behind the Pour

Broken Bow, Oklahoma sits in the Ouachita Mountains — a region of lakes, forests, and cabin rentals that draws over two million visitors a year. Tommy 'Blue' McDaniel built his distillery there, turned it into a brand that ships to 41 states, and became one of the defining voices in Oklahoma's craft spirits scene. This is Part 1 of TLC's two-part conversation with Tommy: where it started, why Broken Bow, and what the early years of Hochatown Distilling actually looked like.

What You'll Discover

• Why Broken Bow: The geography and the tourism economy are the starting conditions for everything Hochatown became. The Ouachita Mountains were already drawing visitors; Tommy saw the opportunity to give those visitors a reason to seek out something locally made.
• Building from scratch in Oklahoma: Craft spirits in Oklahoma are still establishing their identity — unlike Kentucky or Texas, there is no regional industry mythology to build on. Tommy's early years involved building category awareness alongside his own brand awareness.
• The Hochatown brand identity: How the distillery connected its identity to southeastern Oklahoma's culture — the land, the lake culture, the outdoors — without making it a novelty or a tourism gimmick.
• Oklahoma's craft spirits landscape: What it means to be a pioneer in a state that is earlier in the craft spirits wave than the major spirits regions. Blue's perspective on what Oklahoma producers have that established regions do not.
• A preview of what comes next: The Loyal & True OSU partnership, national distribution, and the Hochatown story as it grows beyond Broken Bow.

A Moment of Pourspective

Every great regional spirits brand started somewhere specific. Hochatown started in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma with a founder who saw what the place already was and added something it was missing.

Explore the Conversation

The first Hochatown episode establishes the origin story that makes Part 2 meaningful. Crystal and Roger are clearly invested — Hochatown is an Oklahoma story, and TLC is an Oklahoma show, so there is genuine community context in the conversation. Blue's accounting of the early challenges is the episode's most useful section for anyone building in the craft spirits space. He is specific about what Broken Bow's tourism economy provided and what it did not — the visitors were there, but the infrastructure for a distillery was not. The regional identity discussion is the episode's most philosophical section. Crystal asks what makes Oklahoma spirits distinct — a question without a settled answer, which makes it the right question.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Hochatown Distilling Co.? Hochatown Distilling is a craft distillery in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, founded by Tommy 'Blue' McDaniel. The distillery distributes to 41 states and produces bourbon and other spirits. hochatowndistillingco.com
• Why Broken Bow? Broken Bow is in the Ouachita Mountains — one of Oklahoma's premier tourism destinations. Tommy chose the location because the visitors were already there, and he built something worth visiting.
• Is there a Part 2? Yes. Part 2 of TLC's Hochatown conversation goes deeper into the operational build, national distribution, and the OSU partnership.
• What is Oklahoma's craft spirits scene like? Oklahoma is an emerging craft spirits state — earlier in development than Kentucky or Texas, with less established regional identity but significant growth. Tommy Blue is one of its leading voices.

Episode at a Glance

• Guest: Tommy 'Blue' McDaniel (founder, Hochatown Distilling Co.)
• Hosts: Crystal and Roger
• Runtime: 30 minutes, 9 seconds
• Category: Bourbon
• Part 1 of 2 — continued in Part 2